An Age Undefined
by HonestGravity
Summary: In a war against dragons Merida must find the ability to defend her kingdom, protect her people and save her family but her inexperience as a ruler and in the fight against dragons might create something bigger than her. Hiccup has come to power in his own kingdom at peace with the dragons but must step up to play a bigger part in a much larger conflict for his people and the world
1. Prologue

A/N: I am writing this for fun, each chapter is as much a surprise to me as y'all. Let me know what you think or share some ideas and I'll work the things I like in and give credit. Of course I don't own any of the source material or characters.

Prologue

Dragons, fierce and fiery creatures as they are, had taken over the world as we knew it. No where was safe from a beast ruled by none and feared from all. No disaster had ever been so cruel to the world. War was waged upon people and upon the beasts but no ground was made. Nation fought nation, people fought dragon, life fought death, all but lost. No one was safe, no one has faced a dragon and lived to tell the story of such event. Was this what the world had come to?

~M~

Life was grand. A happy life with a prosperous future was something to be proud of. With a dragon as a best friend, anyone would feel invincible, but changing the way a nation thought about an entire species as mighty as the dragon? Well that was just unthinkable, doable, but unthinkable. Who would have thought the runt of a people group as strange and unfitting as the next would be what was needed? Who would have thought that someone so unfit to themselves would find wholeness by healing a nation? Who would have thought someone so void of hope and purpose for the future would learn his gift in such an unusual manner? Who would have thought the most dangerous and beastly of beasts would actually turn out to be simple and loving creatures? Dragons: loving creatures to all, a man's best friend, and by far most misunderstood.

~H~


	2. Chapter One: An Age of Sorrow

Chapter One: An Age of Sorrow

Her heart was full of despair. The beasts had claimed what was left of her. They took her father, they took the peace of her nation, they destroyed her home. Now she was desperate for a way out and a way to save her people. The dragons had charred the forest, the farms, and burned the villages surrounding the castle. But none of that physical destruction was as sharp as that held in her heart for the loss of her beloved father. Her father saw her for who she was. He understood her, he taught her, he showed her the way of his people.

"I will avenge you father." Merida whispered as the last of the dirt was thrown on top of his grave. The crowd was silent, shrouded by the thick coverage of clouds and the painful grip of death. The ferocious wind slapped Merida's hair around her face but the pain fell on void skin. She was numb of anything but rage for the beasts who had torn her from everything she knew and everything she had grown to love.

"Your Highness, we must head back. We cannot be exposed so long as to warrant an attack. We must not lose you to this war," the handmaid to her right said as she urged the princess to return to her horse. With stiff limbs she mounted her horse with the others and rode back to the castle. The plot for revenge already prickling the hairs on the back of her neck.

The breeze was calm, the sun was warm, and the air smelled fresh as Hiccup and Toothless sat atop the Dragon Hanger. There was plenty for Hiccup to do as the leader of Berk but today was the mark of three years since his father's passing. The festival in honor of Stoick the Vast would begin within the hour. His peace with the current life he lived would be enough for anyone else but Hiccup once again found himself outcast, set aside by his differences. Something was off in a way he couldn't explain. He was missing something and desperately wanted to find it. He turned his face toward the Life-size Stoick shaped statue in the center of kindling had been laid around the statue, the festival posts had been risen, the stalls full and ready for the feast, and the village overflowed with the woven wreathes of dragons breath as well as the ground being scattered with the fiery looking petals. Dragons breath was a flower known to inspire bravery and strength. The flaming red petals were much like the color of Stoick's hair and the large petals were alike to that of his large stature. Hiccup kept them throughout the castle year round but this time of year, on his father's birthday, they were worn and celebrated by all.

Astrid and Stormily circled the roof, landing softly next to the pair.

"Hiccup, what are you doing up here? You don't want to be late to the festival!" Astrid said as she looked at him.

"I'll be there, I just need a few more minutes. Save me a seat at the Feasting Table." Hiccup said with a grin and a wink. Astrid smiled and took off. Hiccup cast another glance at the statue as he put his hand on Toothless for the extra support to stand. He took his seat upon his best friends back and took the short ride back to his house to change to his festival attire. Once changed Hiccup took a heavy breath and placed his father's hat upon his head, then took the short walk to the village square where he would shoot a flaming arrow into the firewood around the statue to mark the beginning of the festival.

A/N: I did do some minor research for this chapter to help stick to the trueness of both movies and also to help add validity to the fiction of my story. I did take some creative liberties though. Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 2: An Age of Gifts

Chapter Two: An Age of Gifts

~M~

After the party in mourning returned to the castle, Merida shuffled through the crowded yet eerily lonely castle up to her room. The door quietly clicked close behind her as she gave way to the first wave of teary sobs that had been threatening to splash over the barriers within her heart. She thrust herself upon the bed and wept for the loss of her father, her comrade in battle, her hunting partner, but mostly her heart wailed for the unbearable suffocation from losing her best friend.

Dunbroch, her home, now lay in ruins, destroyed by the ghastly beasts who set fire to all her father had worked to prosper. The outer villages were pillaged and roasted by the dragons who took livestock and humanity without a hesitation. Armies upon armies were sent to battle in an effort to save the spirited people and the land. Scotland weather forced citizens to flee into the shelter of the castle, as did the dragons smashing through the once beautiful countryside.

With a plentiful amount of rage surfacing Merida launched off the bed and latched onto her sword laying on the floor. Angry tears stained her face and soaked the neckline of her dress as she swung her sword with malice hacking away at the post stationed in her room. It wasn't enough, she felt no release. Merida thrust her sword into the post with an arm numbing blow then turned and quickly dressed for the bitter cold. As she reached for her bow and quiver she rested her hand on the tapestry hung next to the door. She closed her eyes as her fingers brushed over her fathers stitches. His goofy face drifted across her vision and the memory of his warm hand rested firmly and gently against her back. Merida's pain yanked her out of the happy moment and she remembered her desire to escape the castle. She bounded down the servant's stairway and out the back of the castle to the stables. Angus neighed happily as Merida saddled him quickly and rode off to the practice course, arrow loaded on her trusted bow.

With a diluted zest Merida's arrows flew off the string she held in her fingers. The thing she loved most about the mastery of archery was that she had complete control over the bow and had control over the fate of the arrow. She knew how to manipulate the bow, how to dominate the string, so that the arrow hit the target with deadly accuracy. She knew where the arrow would strike, the way it would affect the target, the power it gave her. From the time she was cavalier enough to stand before the clans of her people and shoot for her own fate, she realized the power within her wasn't from who she was or who her father was. It wasn't about what she knew or how she looked. Merida knew her power came from what she could do. She was a warrior, a skillfully trained one at that. Her father was a mighty warrior and Merida always preferred to spend time with the boys despite her mother's disdain of such activities for a princess. As a warrior with a vengeance to settle, her pride was hurt that she saw no way to overcome the plaguing issue at hand. With defeat layered on her shoulders, she rested her bow and leaned into Angus's mane. The warm scent and the dewy touch of his coat from work beneath her fingers gave Merida hope that not all had changed. The thought comforted her.

As Merida turned to head back to the castle, a will-o'-the-wisp caught her attention as it swayed against the forest's edge only a few feet away. With a great hope rising in her heart, Merida redirected her course and raced off after the wisp who led the way to change her fate. Branches dug into her flesh, her hair tangled into bunches, and the bitter cold long ago took the feeling from her hands but Angus's speed did not diminish which she was grateful for. Angus slowed to a stop as they approached the tall pillars of stone standing in the open field. A single wisp hovered in the center, its wispy sound pulsing through the forest to Merida's ears. The pillar that crushed Mardou still lay on the ground its outline layered with snow. Merida dismounted but stood in her spot, one hand firmly clutched under Angus' neck. With a gulp she took a step towards the wisp. Angus neighed and nudged her shoulder. Merida looked back at him and saw her own fear reflected in his worried eyes. She knew his feeling for herself all too well. The last encounter with a wisp led her on a path unlike one she could have ever expected. The events following the wisp's lead were dangerous and almost life ending for everyone involved. Angus anxiously hoofed at the ground. Merida snapped back to the situation and placed a comforting hand on his muzzle. "I have to," she whispered and took a step closer to the wisp. She inhaled and turned to face her fate in whatever form it may be. At the edge of the circle of stone pillars, Merida cast another glance at Angus and then took the last step forward. With a pause she glanced at the wisp who remained still. She took another step closer, then another. The wisp didn't move. When she was close enough to touch it she reached out but the wisp shot straight up it the air to hover above her. She now stood in the center of the pillars. The wisp began to sing. The sound was something of beautiful notes but with a wispy aired tone like fluffy cotton. The song brought other wisps out from the forest. They formed a ring around Merida and began to spin in an increasing circle. The wisps spread out until they were close enough to smash into the stones. With great ease, the will-o'-the-wisps merged into the rocks, even the fallen rock which now had been placed upon the remainder of the upright portion. The ambient blue light of the wisps disappeared, but only for a second before the light reappeared from markings on the stones that had not been there before. One by one the writing on the pillars shot a beam of light to the single wisp still hovering above Merida. After the last beam had been reached the wisp it slowly descended until it made contact with Merida and came to dwell within her reaching her heart. Merida's body hovered a few feet off the ground and her body tensed, her limbs extended and taunt, her hair splayed on an invisible plane. In her head she head a soft voice. It spoke with calm and comforting confidence.

 _With this power we give thee, only you can change the fate for the people now and to come. Deliver those who assist you from the mutilation they suffer, aide those who are lacking, defend those who are in need, and serve those who require it to. A time is coming of great change, with the power residing in you the fate is in your hands. Use your gift well and you will be rewarded greatly. Use your gift poorly and your will suffer greatly._

Merida's body was released and lightly landed in the soft snow. She reached out her hand to Angus before darkness overtook her.

~H~

Hiccup danced until his legs were on the verge of falling off. The festival was better with each year that passed. Celebrating the life of his father for the last three years instead of mourning his death seemed to be a work of wonders on his heart. Out of breath and just plain exhausted, Hiccup grabbed a seat on the platform set up for the dignitaries of Berk. His father was gone and the fate of his people and nation relied on him. He had come a long way from the Heir everyone wanted to lock in a tower, to now the guy everyone depended on to survive and flourish. The brief panic at such thoughts tugged at the edge Hiccup's vision, not an unusual thing, before the sight of a burly and rugged scrap of a man blocked his view of the fire. Godrick squatted down next to Hiccup on the platform and clapped a coarse hand on his back.

"You've been with Astrid for awhile now son," He said with a sideways glance after Hiccup gulped. "You have come a long way. You used to be a scrawny little boy, and you've filled out quite a bit. I think its safe to say your father would be proud of you. Your stupidity changed the fate of our people and that is not something that is easy to do, regardless of who you are. Your father fought for years to do what you did in just mere days, which was to rid Berk of the Dragon Epidemic we had been facing since the beginning of our time." Godrick paused with a sigh and smoothed a hand over his tangly blonde beard. "I stood alongside of your father through many battles with the purpose of curing the world of such a nasty beast. Every time I held a club in my hand, the only thing on my mind was my precious little baby with her big blue eyes. She is the reason I kept fighting. If it weren't for her, I would have given up a long time ago and suggested we move somewhere else. But I know the land here, I know the people, and the customs. The land is harsh and unyielding mostly but when the sun rises over there and the rays stretch through the torch of the statue, I am reminded that there is nothing like it. There's nothing like Berk, Hiccup. You can travel the world all you want on that fantastic best friend of yours but Berk? It will always be your home. Its a part of you."

Godrick paused to look around. His gaze fell on Astrid dancing around the fire pit, her arms flailed, her hair whipped her face. She was elegant, Astrid. Not like a flower plucked from the cold ground or a fine stitch holding a garment together but more like a mighty sword, used for its power and strength. If made properly, a sword can be ornate and useful, and she was that. Cared for and treated well, she would be a mighty weapon to anyone who knew the words to the song her heart made.

"Astrid is my home, son. I could've left, gone somewhere else but there was no better place for her than here. She needed Berk but even more, Berk needed her. You needed her. But mostly, she needs you Hiccup. You are her home. You are the one who she listens to, fights hardest for, cares deepest for. You are all the home she has, but she is the only home I've ever had. I once was enough for her but I know if you leave, she will leave." He choked on his sentence as Hiccup sat there awkwardly.

"I trust you with my daughter's happiness Hiccup, with her safety, her life, and her heart. I am giving Astrid to you son. Whenever you are ready to marry her, you have my blessing." He said with a grin on his face. Hiccup was frozen in place. Panic began to rise and the fear settled in. With a burst Hiccup leapt from his seat and took off towards his house. Astrid watched as Hiccup escaped from her father as fast as possible, curiosity settled on her father's face as he watched Hiccup go.


	4. Chapter Three: An Age of Discovery

Chapter Three: An Age of Discovery

~M~

Merida rustled from her sleep, confused to find herself unaware of where she was or what had happened to her. She lay in a small cot in the corner of a two room cottage. Her hair was a knotty disaster and a raging headache was forcing her to lay back down. With a strange overpowering urge, Merida lifted her hands out from under the blankets. She gasped when the white scar like markings of a will-o'-the-wisp on each palm flashed a vibrant blue.

"You're awake. Good, the soup is almost ready." a bearded and burly young man said as he carried in firewood from the other room and placed it next to the rough stone fireplace across the room.

"What happened?" Merida asked as she sat up in the bed.

"I am not sure, honest. I was hunting in the forest near the Pillars of Ancestry and heard a scream. I followed the sound to find you in the middle of the Pillars." He spoke as he prepared bowls of what appeared to be soup from a cauldron hanging over the fire.

"What about my horse, Angus? Was he there when you found me?" she asked as she grasped the warm bowl of soup in her hands. She realized how ravenous she was with her first sip.

"No, I didn't see a horse but I did see the tracks. I'm guessing he went back to the castle." the young man pulled up a stool next the cot and settled in the eat his soup.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked, wondering how long she had been gone.

"Yes I do. Your name is Merida and we used to be the best of friends. My mother worked in the castle as a cook. Do you remember me?" he said as he mopped up some soup on his slice of bread. Merida sat and pondered her childhood. She didn't have many friends because she spent so much time in the classroom with her mother but there was one boy who stuck out in her memories. He had a warm smile and a kind heart.

"I do remember you…Your name is…Beiste isn't it?" Merida looked at him when he gave a dark chuckle.

"Ah yes, Beiste. A great name for a young son with great potential to be a mighty beast after all. I haven't been called that name in years." with a sigh he stood up, collected Merida's empty bowl, and trod off with dishes in hand to the other room. She looked after him with an odd and frightful panic rising in her chest. She found it odd that he laughed at the name he was given by his parents. Beiste was an honorable name, mighty and strong. Her thoughts were interrupted by his large shadow blocking her view of the fire.

"I go by Cruim now." he stated with a wicked grin on his face. His stature over hers reminded Merida she must be careful. She hadn't realized how large he'd grown from the time they were children.

"That's the name of darkness…" she said as she estimated in her head how fast as she would have to move to get around him and to the door.

"Why do you look so worried your Highness? Do you really think I would hurt you?" He turned from the cot and walked to the fireplace to give it a good solid poke. "I didn't choose this name Merida. It was given to me." He crouched down and added another log before he finally sat down on the hearth. "My mother was the best person I ever knew. She died a few years ago." he paused to run his hand down his beard. "She worked her fingers to the bone to take care of me. The trek to the castle from here is a long one. She would drag me with her, unwilling to leave me with my father. We would play games on the walks we took and she would teach me things I would never learn from a governess. It was usually the only time I got the spend with my mother uninterrupted by others. My father was a good man in my young years but work slowed and money got harder and harder to produce. His greed for a higher life turned his heart wicked and he became a wicked man. My mother feared for my life and would often hide me in the castle overnight before returning home. Once when she came to work, I met her at the kitchen door as usual and she was bruised from head to toe. I was eight years old." the seriousness of his words sunk in to Merida's heart through his lengthy pause. Her heart broke for him.

"I knew what had happened. The drunk bastard had hit her over and over again. I wasn't a halfwit. I was eight years old when we stopped playing together. I never got the chance to explain why to you, but I'm sure your mother was overjoyed by our separation." His hands clasped and unclasped rapidly in a succession Merida couldn't keep count of. "See, I went to your father. Fergus was an extraordinary man, may he rest in peace. I went to your father and asked that I be allowed to start training for the duties to my country. I asked to join the war force. And even at eight years old, he accepted. He took special care himself to train me and to guide me in the art of swordsmanship and archery. I learned how to fight like a man. I spent years by your father's side, learning and training with the best of them. He told me once he saw a fury, a special fuel within me, that needed teaching and he did that. He trained me until I was perfect. I was sixteen by the time my training was almost complete." Merida got out of the cot and crossed the room to be closer to Cruim.

"My father's abuse got worse throughout the years of my training. My mother never let me return home after the first night he destroyed her lovely spirit. She was never the same after that night but one thing remained in her heart and that was to protect me, love me, and take care of me to the best of her ability. While she got weaker and smaller in his eyes, I was getting faster, stronger, and bigger in her eyes. The fury King Fergus spoke of was rage. A pure and holy desire to return my father's gift to himself. When I was ready, long after the other servants had gone home, I took off on my horse towards my childhood home. I unmounted and approached the door to hear my father screaming and my mother urgently apologizing. There was a loud crash from inside and then my mother whimpered another apology. My father called her something so despicable I am unable to repeat it, and then he hit her." His hands balled into fists and his eyelids slammed shut.

"I kicked the door in and grabbed his disgusting body and threw him out the door. My mother was frantic, screaming for me to run, begging that dirty bastard not to hurt me. He rose from the ground and smirked as he yelled at my mother to shut up. Even though I was only sixteen, I was much larger than him and I knew how this would go. As my father and I fought there in the yard of our cottage in the middle of the night, the neighbors from our small village emerged from their homes to watch. In the moonlight my eye caught the flash of a knife my father pulled from his belt. The battle continued and I let him get a few cuts in. Then I disarmed him and turned the knife on him. I killed my father. Right there in that yard outside, all the people of my village watching. I had hoped that my bravery would be met with cheers and celebration but I was wrong. My mother was shunned and I became Cruim, a dark and twisted soul, lost to the hope of my people. I did what I would expect any son would do for their own devoted mother, I saved her life and I was shamed for it. One by one the village families moved away from us, closer to the castle. They took everything and burned their homes to the ground before they left. My mother's job at the castle remained and I returned as a serviceman for your father rising quickly through the ranks. We stayed here in our cottage. Soon, I was in a position to be involved in militia meetings. Just before my mother died the dragons became a problem for our people and the battle with them began. I fought next to your father until the day he died. I've even fought next to you, a face among many of the sea of people." He paused to stretch his muscles, tensed from the long story of his past.

"There was once a fisherman who traveled far and wide to capture elegant and delectable fish for royal dignitaries. While eating lunch with your father and some other servicemen, he told a story of a strange land he once visited within the year of a strange people. They were disgusting and ugly and more crude than us but they had something he had never seen. They had control of dragons. They housed them, fed them, trained and armored them, and even rode them. They weren't just part of the land and the culture, they were a part of the people. It was astonishing to think of what strength they must have had to control such a mighty beast. They call themselves Vikings."

Merida stood to her feet and grabbed her coat. "Get whatever you need from here because you won't be coming back. You are now my second in command and I need you in the castle. Hurry and grab your coat. We must go." Cruim packed a small bag and saddled his horse. Before they rode off to the castle, he took one look back at his home where so much had happened. With a nudge from Merida he was brought back to reality and they raced off to the castle.

~H~

Hiccup braced himself against a tree, out of breath and out of his mind with confusion. The panic that blurred his vision wouldn't subside and he needed to run. The muscles in his body ached for him to run, run far. He pushed off the tree and put one foot in front of the other, then again and again, gaining speed. He burst through to door to his house, startling Toothless from his sleep. Toothless cocked his head to one side and watched as Hiccup nearly unraveled from sheer terror. Hiccup grabbed a sack and rummaged through the house shoving things into the bag with no particular neatness. He threw the bag over his shoulder and motioned for Toothless to follow. Hiccup peeked out the door to check the coast, seeing that it was clear, Toothless and Hiccup made there way to the tackle room on the back side of the house. Toothless sat still as Hiccup saddled him and strapped himself into his own armor. The bag was secured to the saddle and Hiccup mounted his best friend, then gave him instructions to fly to the boat house. Hiccup unstrapped Toothless from his gear and set aside the rations in the boat, then got in. Toothless sat on the deck and watched Hiccup's frantic movements, curiosity on his face.

"Come on Toothless, get in the boat." Hiccup said as he motioned for Toothless. He looked at Hiccup and gave a small moan as he looked back at the village above, still enjoying the festival.

"Get in the boat now Toothlesss, we don't have time for this." he said desperately as he reached out to grab onto Toothless. The dragon took a step back and watched as Hiccup, defeated, slunk to a seated position on the floor of the boat.

"Please, bud. We have to go." He said and Toothless reluctantly stepped into the boat to nudge Hiccup. Hiccup released the docking rope, pulled up the anchor and set the sail. The pair settled in to the small vessel together, as they laid side by side for warmth. The village was barely a pinpoint in their line of view behind them when the rustling of dragon's wings in the air caught Toothless' attention. He jerked his head up and nudged at Hiccup to wake up. Stormfly was coasting just ahead of the long boat and Hiccup panicked because he knew Astrid had followed them. Stormfly landed on the boat and Astrid hopped off.

"Hiccup, where are you going?" she said with concern. She moved closer to Hiccup who was still sitting in the boat.

"Go back Astrid. Take care of the village." He hung his head.

"That's not what I asked you. Where are you going?" She said more forcefully this time.

"I have to go Astrid. I can't stay here. Berk is better off without me." He barely whispered. Astrid walked over to Hiccup and sat down, lifting the edge of the blanket to scoot under it with him.

"Are you insane? Do you not realize what you've done for our people? Our village, or nation, or people and families would most likely be dead by now. If it weren't for you the dragons would have overtaken our livestock, burned our crops and our homes to the ground. You were exactly what Berk needed." she said with pure confidence in Hiccup's abilities.

"You should go back." He said not meeting her eye.

"Hiccup, where on Earth are you going? In all the time you've searched for other people on all the islands we've found, there has never been another person we've met. And why are you taking a boat? Is Toothless hurt?" she cast a worried glance at the two dragons sleeping together on the other end of the boat.

"I need the boat because it's too far for Toothless to fly. There are no islands to rest on between here and there." he stated as he fidgeted with a frayed hem on the wool blanket.

"Again, where are you going?" she said as she grabbed his hand to get his attention.

"Do you remember that fisherman who ported in the village a few weeks ago, asking about our fish? He stayed a few days and learned about our culture and people. He drew the different types of fish we ate and how they were served best. We were up late one night at my house sitting around the fire talking of discoveries and the outside world. He had so much to tell. The stories he told of far away places and different people were amazing. I was so intrigued. He told me of another land that was struggling with dragons and needed our help. He said to go due west and I would meet their shores but he said the journey was long and I would need a boat. The waters will be rough and we will most likely die because we are not seasoned travelers. That's why you need to go back. You know the plans I had for the village and what the people need. You do more running of Berk than I ever did. That's why I need you there. Because I know that with you in charge, my people will be safe. All my father's hard work was not just for the village to fall apart in my reign. I need you there, It's your home. But I need to do this. There is something greater out there than what Berk has to offer me right now and I need to find it." he let out a sigh and pulled his knees to his chest.

"This has nothing to do with my father giving you his blessing?" She asked timidly. Hiccup froze in his place and felt his face flush.

"How'd you know about that?" he asked as more panic clenched at his heart.

"Ruffnut overheard the conversation and told me. Why did you run away?" she looked out over the water to avoid Hiccup seeing the emotions on her face.

"Astrid… you are Astrid. I can't compete with that and I definitely don't want to even try but honestly I'm not enough for you. I know that you say I am but really I think it's just because we've known each other for so long you have no idea what else is even out there. We are best friends and to me that's all we are. Growing up I thought you were so beautiful and you still are but then I realized I wasn't attracted you because I wanted to pursue you. I was attracted to you because I wanted to be you. You were everything I wasn't and couldn't be but everything my dad wanted and needed me to be. I watched you and admired you because I needed to mold myself to be more of you and less of me. Then I met Toothless and I realized there is nothing wrong with being one of a kind. In fact its a good thing to be the only one of yourself. There is an unforeseen beauty in being less than what people want of you and more of what you need yourself to be, and that's what I did and what I'm doing, and its who I am." Hiccup took a pause and picked up Astrid's hand from on top of the blanket.

"You will find someone who will be perfect for you and when you know, you'll know it, but for now I can be whatever you need me to be. You are and always will be my best friend, but you need to go back." Hiccup gave her hand a gentle squeeze and let it go, as if saying it was time for her to return to Berk.

"Where you go, I go. What you do, I do. You are my best friend and I am not about to let you walk into the unknown alone. We are Vikings for crying out loud, Brotherhood is the code we live by, and what we live for. If you don't have family, what do you have? And as far as the village, again, we are Vikings. We haven't been thrown anything we can't handle so far have we? They will be fine. I am going with you." She smiled and picked up his hand. Hiccup smiled and leaned back to watch the sail whip in the wind as he drifted off to sleep, Astrid curled up next to him.

 **A/N: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It was fun to write. Thank you to Dracologistmaster for giving me some ideas for this chapter. All of you are free to message me with ideas you have and want to share for this story and I will try to work them in, with credit given of course. Leave a review to let me know what you think!**


	5. Chapter Four: An Age of Confessions

Chapter Four: An Age of Confessions

~M~

Cruim and Merida made their way back to the castle in the cold bitter night to feel an unease in the air upon their arrival. Cruim helped Merida down in the stables, then they both worked quickly to unsaddle the horse so that they could get out of the brisk night air. They strode quickly across the courtyard to the back entrance of the Great Hall and pushed the heavy doors open. Merida had walked into an enormous uproar. Men were preparing torches and gear, Lady Elinor was frantically pacing on the throne stage, the boys, now fourteen, were suiting up in gear, children were saying goodbye to their fathers, and the women were filling packs for the men. The sound of the heavy creaking doors did not distract them from whatever mission they were on.

"HAAAALLT!" Merida yelled and everyone froze what they were doing. Merida and Cruim stood in the doorway waiting for an explanation but before anyone could speak up, Lady Elinor pushed through the people cluttered in the hall and latched onto her daughter, tears soaking Merida's cloak.

"Where have you been?" Lady Elinor pulled back and ran her hand over Merida's thick curly hair, grasped Merida's cheeks in her small hands, and with a look of pure thankfulness pulled her into another breath crushing hug. "I thought you were dead." she whispered in Merida's ear. A cheer erupted from the Great Hall and the air of tension melted away to form a celebration and easy night. Everyone began to settle back into small groups throughout the refuge of the Great Hall as Merida, Cruim, the triplets, and Lady Elinor made there way upstairs into a small study. The study was one of her father's favorite rooms, Mardou's head hung above the enormous fireplace, his portrait tacked between the windows above his favorite chair. The room smelled of him, a manly smell mixed with wool and cedar wood. The group took seats around to room to discuss the issue at hand.

"What was going on when we got here?" Merida asked standing in front of the fire, thankful for its warmth.

"We were going on a rescue to find you," Hubert, the eldest triplet said, "Or to find your body," Hamish, the youngest, chuckled, "But glad your back because its too cold out there for that." Harris laughed with a classic goofy smirk. The boys had grown so much and weren't much of boys anymore but more leaning towards strapping young men. They were triplets and acted as such but they had there differences for sure. Hamish, while the youngest, was the most broad and burly like their father and had a humor equal to his size. Hubert and Harris were equal in size but varied in just about everything else. Harris was charming and quick with the knives, and the ladies of course. Hubert was incredibly smart and far wiser than his years, spending hours pouring over books. They were best friends and everyone knew it. Sure, they fought like all siblings do but their bond was special and unbreakable.

"Where have you been Merida, where have you been?" Lady Elinor demanded anger and curiosity dancing together in her voice. Merida brushed her hands together and felt the faint markings on her palms. She gulped and walked over to her mother to kneel in front of her.

"I went for a ride with Angus. I had to get out of this wretched castle. I needed fresh air. I was about to return before darkness fell but then I saw a wisp in the tree line. Of course I followed and it led me to the Pillars of Ancestry." Merida paused and looked around the room at the faces watching her curiously waiting for the story to continue. Everyone knew the way the wisps worked, giving only when needed but always with a twist. Mystical creatures who helped those who believed, guide their fate in the right path. As she sat there, Merida wondered if she should continue, unsure of how the group would react.

"I followed the wisp Ma, just like you said, but this was strange, exceedingly strange. I followed it into the middle of the Pillars and when I tried to touch it, it rose into the air to hover above me. Then it began to sing. It sounded completely unique and eerily. The sound of it still gives me shivers down my back. The song brought other wisps from the forest and they formed a circle around me. They began to spin faster and faster until I couldn't pick one from the other. Then they shot into the Pillars of Ancestry. They actually went into the Pillars. Then a marking appeared on each of the Pillars, all different from the last. Beams of blue wispy light from the markings on the Pillars latched onto the one hovering above me and then the wisp floated down into me, like it was coming to live inside my soul. It lifted me off the ground and then I heard a voice in my head, like it was my own but it wasn't because the words didn't make sense. Somehow I understood them in a way only my heart could feel, and when it was done speaking, it released me and I fell to the ground." Merida said as she looked at her mother's hands folded in her lap.

"Ya done gone and bumped yer head, sis." Hamish laughed with a roar.

"Mer, that sounds completely crazy." Hubert stated, worry on his face.

"I think yer just plain nuts, sis." Harris said, leaning back on Hamish's knee. Merida sat quietly, feeling like a fool for even saying anything. She felt the markings on her palms begin to burn and her heart felt the wisp becoming angry for doubting it.

"What did it say to you Merida?" Lady Elinor asked, seriousness overloading her expression. She looked at Merida intensely and earnestly and Merida felt the wisp calm at the belief of her mother. Her mother had always believed in the magic of the wisps so why would now be any different.

"It told me the fate of our people was in my hands. That a great change was coming and that it was up to me to control the fate of what would happen. It said with the power it gives me I need to protect and rescue the people who help and save our people. It told me if I used my gift well that I would be rewarded, and if I used it poorly I would suffer greatly. But the thing is, I don't even know what it is or how to use it." she said and looked down at the floor.

"Show them your hands, Merida." Cruim said from his spot next to the fire. His voice startled Merida. He had been so silent she had forgotten he was even there.

"What's wrong with your hands, Mer?" Lady Elinor picked up her daughter's hands and gasped, takes aback by the soft blue light gleaming from her palms, marked by the shape of a will-o'-the-wisp.

"How'd you know about my hands?" Merida asked looking at Cruim as her mother examined her hands.

"When I found you in the snow by the Pillars, I tried to wake you but nothing worked so I tried to pick you up off the ground by grabbing you hand. I was pushed back by the force of light coming from the palm of the hand I had grabbed. I've been through a lot of pain in my life but that shock that pushed me back was possibly the worst thing I have ever felt. It hurt my body and my heart. It made my muscles numb and my heart feel cold, like I'd never see the sun again. It was a strange feeling. That is why I believe you and I believe your story. I don't know what your given power is or what you are supposed to do with it but I can tell you it is strong, and when we figure it out, you will be a force to be reckoned with that"s for sure." Cruim stood up from his spot on the hearth and walked to the door.

"We should all get some rest because tomorrow will be a long day. There is lots to do and lots of things to discuss and figure out." With that said he walked out of the room and down the hall to his private sleeping quarters, perks of being second in command. The boys followed suit, pushing each other and laughing all the way down the hall.

"Merida." Lady Elinor said, her daughter's hands still in her own. "You must be careful. If what the wisp said is true, this gift inside of you is powerful. With great power comes great responsibility. You must be diligent not to tarnish the purity of the wisp inside you with the darkness of your own heart. Much has happened in the last few days which have made you bitter. I can tell you are hurting for the loss of your best friend and you must overrule that seed of revenge in your heart. The wisps seeks healing and purity for our land and our people. You must be careful not to let the rage in your heart destroy the opportunity you've been given to do good, to change to fate of our people, to changer yer fate." Elinor rose from the chair she had been sitting in and pulled Merida to her feet. They walked down the hall together, and just before Merida entered her room she looked over the balcony to the Great Hall at the villagers sleeping down below. The image of people who depended on her was the last thing she saw before she entered her chambers. She crossed her bedroom to the washroom attached to her quarters. The heat from the fire was warm inside the washroom. The large wooden tub in the middle of the room was steaming over and she quickly undressed, eager to feel the warm water on her skin. She sat in the water long after washing and being clean simply because she felt as if she was too tired to move. The water began to turn cold and pricked at her skin forcing her to get out of the tub and dress in her nightgown. With renewed eagerness, she climbed into her bed and drifted off to sleep, the image of the wisp on her hand dancing in her dreams.

Merida woke early enough the next morning that she dressed and made it down to the kitchen quarters before the commuting cooks. She ate quickly and requested several platters of food to be delivered throughout the day in the meeting room. A keg of ale was also delivered to the room. Merida quietly walked through to castle, taking the long way to the clergyman's room tucked in the back of the castle. Upon her arrival, she put in a request made to be posted throughout all the kingdom as well as sent to the the other factions of the nation. The message contained her desperation to eradicate the dragons as they were from their land. With the necessity of the task, Merida requested that all and every capable and eligible man be sent to the castle for training to help fight in the war. After that had been finished and she saw the copies being made, Merida made her way to the private quarters of the castle reserved for those in high ranking Servicemen positions. Cruim's door was the first on the left of a long hallway of doors. No one had filled that position since Alick, King Fergus' second in command, had died months ago. Merida lifted her hand to knock on the solid wood door but instead made contact with Cruim's chest. She pulled her hand away and took a step back.

"Gather the crew. We have a lot to do today. The meeting starts at ten on the hour." Merida took a look at his face in the light of the torch stationed next to his doorway. His eyes lacked the warmth of someone well rested. She turned and walked back through the castle to her mother's room. Lady Elinor was still in bed, desperate to avoid the cold air trapped from reaching her by the thick covers she hid under. Merida walked over to the enormous bed taking up much of the room, lifted a corner of the blanket, and crawled in. The event that happened years ago between Elinor and Merida brought them closer together. The death of King Fergus made them practically inseparable. Merida curled up to her mothers back and wrapped her arm around her waist. Elinor was always tall and dainty but as of lately her clothes seemed to be less full and her expressions were muted. Elinor's hand grabbed hold of her daughter's and she gave it a light squeeze.

"Momma." she whispered, fear evident in her tone. Elinor rolled over to face her daughter. As usual, she pushed Merida's unruly hair away from her face.

"I'm so scared. I don't know what to do, and if I did, I don't even think I have the strength to keep going. So many people have died and I have done nothing to stop it. I am scared I'm going to fail and everyone will die." Merida said a whine creeping in as tears filled up the brim of her eyes.

"They chose you Merida. The wisps. The spiritual beings of our people, chose you. That means they saw something greater in you than anything that you could have ever known about. You will figure this gift out and you will save our people. Your father always said you were wild, wildly extraordinary, and that you are. You are wild and extraordinary but the perfect balance of wildly extraordinary. If the wisps believe in you, so do I, not that I ever didn't but I do even more so now. We will figure it out together." Merida closed her eyes and basked in the warmness coming from her mother's hands and her precious heart.

A knock on the door woke Merida form her nap. She realized she had fallen asleep and shot out of bed. Her mother was gone and her spot had been cold for a while now. She crossed the room and opened the door. Cruim stood outside the door, leaning against the cold stone wall, the torch casting a shadow across his face.

"Over sleep, did ya?" He asked with a smirk on his face. She gave him a glare, turned on her heel, and made her way through the halls to the meeting room. Her steps were fast but his length made it easy for him to keep up with her.

"Everyone is ready and I've briefed them on what happened in the woods, with special instructions to not make a big deal of it." She gave him a nod and turned into the meeting room. The bustling room full of chatter dulled as everyone around the table focused their attention on her, especially her hands. An urge to put on a pair of gloves tickled the back of her mind but she fought it off. Quickly, the pair made there way to the head of the table, eager to get started.

"We are losing, men. This battle we have been fighting for years has taken many of us, many of our best. It is time we take the upper hand here. Which is why I have decided we need to capture a dragon. Not a dead dragon but a full grown, alive and fire breathing dragon. I think our best advantage with this plan of action is to observe it and learn from it. I want to find its weaknesses so that we can take out the others. I want to learn what hurts it so that it can feel pain like our nation has felt. New recruits are on the way and we will begin the preparation for them immediately. As well as training these new forces, we will all be undergoing training to hone our known skills, learn new ones from those around us that can offer something, and to adapt and grow the ones we will be needing and using for the future raids on Dragon Falls. Yes, that's right. We are going directly to the source to get what we need, which is a good ole fashioned scaly beast. Now if you will look at the map here…" Merida said as she pointed to Dragon Falls. The meeting continued well into the night, the smartest of the smart, strongest of the strong, and bravest of the brave sitting around the table talking tactics, planning, strategy, and morale to take on probably the most dangerous plan to ever be spoken around a table known to have heard many plans of such a brazen nature.

~H~

Hiccup, Astrid, and the dragons were far past sea sickness. They had been at sea for two weeks and had not seen land or another human being. While Vikings were typically dirty in nature, Hiccup couldn't shake the feeling that he was beginning to stink. Astrid had begun to worry they were never going to see land again, while Hiccup consistently assured her they would be fine. This journey had been mind freeing for Hiccup, giving him plenty of time to think without distractions. Hiccup got up from his side of the boat and walked over to Toothless.

"Ready to go for a ride bud?" He asked with eagerness in his voice. Toothless shot up from his spot and pranced around so much Hiccup could barely saddle him. With a mighty push of his wings the pair took off, soaring in front of the boat hoping to get a glimpse at a piece of land. The day was warm and the breeze light but Hiccup made a mental note of the storm-carrying clouds in the direction they were headed. Astrid had been fairly mad at him the first few days of the journey, refusing to talk to him. The morning after they had left, Astrid came to the realization that Hiccup had just told her that he didn't love her and never would. He had been so scared that his best friend now hated him, but in fact she hadn't been mad that he wasn't in love with her but was mad that he hadn't said anything sooner. After she got over herself she came to another realization that she too didn't love Hiccup and was in fact devoted to him because she was afraid there wasn't anyone else out there worthy of her. Hiccup, even as a young child, thought he was destined to be alone. It never occurred to him that he would befriend Astrid, or that they would "fall in love", and then decide not to be together because in all honestly they didn't love each other at all. It was no surprise to him that he was back at square one. While he longed for someone, he felt in his heart there was no way he would be happy without a heart wrenching pain to over take the joy of finding someone so completely.

Hiccup and Toothless had flown quite far ahead of the small vessel and the first raindrop on his cheek brought Hiccup back to reality. As they were about to turn around, out of the corner of his eye, Hiccup spotted a dark smudge on the edge of the horizon. He focused on it further and with overwhelming joy., realized it was land. They flew back to the boat quickly and landed with a thud.

"Astrid, hurry and help me tie things down. There is land ahead and we have to pass through a storm to get there." With fast and controlled movements the two worked together like a well oiled machine to secure all the rations, tools, and the sail just as the first raindrops plunked down on the deck.

"That was close." Astrid said, huddled next to Stormfly, tucked under her dragon skin poncho. The boat sailed on steadily, the rain from the storm more harmful than the waves. The two settled in for the last leg of their journey to land.

"Hey, do you think they are worried?" Astrid cast a cautious glance at Hiccup who was playing with Toothless' face.

"I'm sure my mom has gone frantic with worry by now. But with Skullcrusher's tracking ability and the fact that a long boat is missing, they will have figured out we planned to be gone for a while, and by we I mean me. It's a good thing we are almost to land because even though I packed enough rations for a while, these fat dragons of ours would have made it more difficult to survive a while longer." he said with a grunt as he rolled Toothless over on his back and playfully patted at his chest. The dragon partook in the activity long enough to give Hiccup some fun, then with ease rolled Hiccup over and patted at his face with his arm. The rain had stopped and a cold chill set in, the sun going down just over the horizon. The boat was set dead straight for the middle of the land that was much closer now.

"What are you looking for in a partner?" Hiccup asked as Astrid handed his a roasted fish and an apple. She sat next to him, pondering over the question he had asked munching on her apple.

"Well.. I'd like someone strong, in spirit and in body. I need someone who can keep up with me. I want someone who wants a family. Even though I'm not overly motherly, I still want a family. It's important to me. I want someone who can make me laugh, that will listen to what I have to say even if its not important. I need someone who can understand my heart." she said and threw her now finished apple into the water.

"That all sounds reasonable." he paused to take a quick glance at her. "Hey, I'm really glad you don't hate me." he said keeping his head down.

"Why would I hate you?" she asked grabbing ahold of his hand.

"I was afraid you'd hate me because I hurt you." with sincerity in his voice.

"No, I'm happy you told me, even though I had to chase you down to get it out of you. It's better to know now instead of when we are both standing under an alter we don't want to be under. You know?" He nodded and laid down in his seat, clasping his hands on his chest, Astrid's hand still in his grip. She laid down next to him, putting her head on his shoulder.

The moon was high overhead when a jolt of the boat woke the pair up from their slumber. Hiccup stood up and looked out over the boat. A wide and goofy grin spread over his face. The coldness and snow of the land came up to the very edge of the sand and spilled out of the forest stacked with tall trees. Hiccup dropped the anchor and prepped to boat while Astrid saddled the dragons and prepared traveling packs for the two riders. When everything was set, the two mounted and flew out of the boat to avoid the water. After landing on the beach, they set up a small camp for the night, the fire keeping them toasty in the snowy conditions. They rested up for the new journey they would embark on come sunrise.

 **A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed and who I have been in contact with, your words are helping and encouraging all the more. I look forward to the next few chapters. I will let you know that the way I have this story outlined, it will most likely be short on chapters but if requested enough I may consider doing a sequel. Thank you again for all the help and suggestions from everyone. I look forward to reading your reviews so that I can give you more of what you want to see. Until next time!**


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